Getting Started with Flutter

Introduction

Flutter is one of the most powerful frameworks for building modern mobile applications using a single codebase. Developed by Google, Flutter enables developers to create high-performance, visually rich Android and iOS applications efficiently. This module introduces Flutter from scratch and guides learners through setting up their first Flutter application.

Have you missed the previous lesson?  Mobile Application Development: Introduction, Native vs Cross-Platform Apps with Flutter

1. Getting Started with Flutter

Topic Content Overview

This section covers:

• What Flutter is

• Why Flutter is used

• Key features of Flutter

• Platforms supported by Flutter

Flutter is widely adopted in academia and industry due to its fast development cycle, hot reload feature, and native-like performance.

Definition of Flutter

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit (SDK) developed by Google that allows developers to build cross-platform applications for Android, iOS, web, and desktop using a single programming language called Dart.

Key Features of Flutter

• Single codebase for multiple platforms

• Hot Reload for instant UI updates

• Rich set of customizable widgets

• High performance using Skia rendering engine

• Strong community and Google support

2. History of Flutter & Flutter Versions

Topic Content Overview

Understanding Flutter’s evolution helps learners appreciate its stability and industry adoption.

History of Flutter

• 2015: Flutter introduced as “Sky”

• 2017: First public release (Alpha)

• 2018: Flutter Beta

• 2019: Flutter 1.0 (Stable release)

• Present: Continuous stable updates with performance and platform improvements

Flutter has evolved into a production-ready framework used by companies such as Google, Alibaba, BMW, and eBay.

Flutter Versions

Flutter releases follow a stable channel system:

• Stable – Recommended for production

• Beta – Early access to new features

• Dev – Active development

• Master – Experimental

3. Introduction to Flutter & Dart

Topic Content Overview

This section introduces the Flutter framework and the Dart programming language, explaining their roles in mobile app development.

What is Dart?

Dart is an object-oriented, class-based programming language developed by Google. It is optimized for building fast UI applications and supports:

• Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation (for development)

• Ahead-Of-Time (AOT) compilation (for production)

Role of Dart in Flutter

• Handles application logic

• Defines UI structure using widgets

• Manages state and user interaction

Simple Dart Example

void main() {
  print("Welcome to Flutter with Dart");
}

Real-Time Use:
This is the entry point of every Flutter application.

4. Overview of Flutter Project Folder Structure

Topic Content Overview

A Flutter project follows a well-defined folder structure that helps developers organize code efficiently.

Flutter Project Structure

main.dart (Entry File Example)

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(title: Text("Flutter App")),
        body: Center(child: Text("Hello Flutter")),
      ),
    );
  }
}

5. Understanding pubspec.yaml & Dependencies

Topic Content Overview

The pubspecs.yaml file manages:

• App metadata

• Flutter SDK version

• External packages (dependencies)

• Assets (images, fonts)

pubspec.yaml Example

name: flutter_course_app
description: A beginner Flutter project
version: 1.0.0+1

environment:
  sdk: ">=3.0.0 <4.0.0"

dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter
  http: ^1.1.0

Why Dependencies Matter

Dependencies allow developers to:

• Fetch APIs

• Manage state

• Access device features

• Speed up development

Real-Time Example:
The http package is used for REST API integration in real-world apps.

Real-Time Application Example

This default app demonstrates:

• Stateful widgets

• Button click events

• UI rebuilding using setState()

These concepts are used in real production apps such as dashboards, forms, and counters.

Conclusion

This module provides a complete foundation for Flutter development by covering its history, structure, configuration files, and first application execution. Mastering these basics prepares learners to move confidently toward UI design, navigation, state management, and backend integration in Flutter.

Ready to know about data structure concepts? Check your DS course concepts by visiting the link.

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